NDTF's V S Negi elected DUTA president, executive body results declared

New Delhi: Professor V S Negi of the National Democratic Teachers Front (NDTF) has been elected Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) president, securing 3,366 votes.

He defeated professor Rajib Ray of the Democratic Teachers Front (DTF), who polled 2,728 votes and professor Rajesh K Jha of the Academics for Action and Development Delhi Teachers' Association (AADTA), who secured 1,420 votes.

Other candidates included professor Kamlesh Kr Raghuvanshi (451 votes), Sandeep (14), and professor Sanjay Mohan Marale (10). Of the 8,221 votes polled, 7,989 were declared valid and 232 invalid.

Voting for the Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) elections witnessed an enthusiastic response on Thursday, with 8,221 of the 9,861 eligible teachers casting their votes. This marked a turnout of 84 per cent, marginally lower than the 85.85 per cent recorded in 2023.

Polling, held from 10 am to 5 pm across 32 booths set up in the Arts Faculty and Satyakam Bhawan, also decided 25 aspirants for 15 executive member posts.

Fifteen members were elected to the DUTA executive, with Akanksha Khurana topping the list by securing 9,576 votes. She was followed by Ramanand Singh (9,192) and Manish Kumar (7,372). Other winners included Sakshi Yadav (6,612), Dinesh Kataria (6,439), Amit Singh (6,388), Bimalendu (6,081), Sanjay Kumar (5,862), Biswajit Mohanty (5,658), Chhotu Ram Meena (5,632), Bhupendra Singh (5,338), Yash Yadav (5,283), V S Dixit (5,238), Devendra K. Rana (4,521) and Dhanraj Meena (3,949).

The biennial DUTA elections are considered significant in shaping the policies and academic direction of Delhi University.

This year's campaign revolved around issues such as permanent appointments, regularisation of ad-hoc teachers, implementation of the National Education Policy, and academic reforms.

Outside the polling venues, supporters distributed pamphlets and urged teachers to vote, while groups of faculty members engaged in animated discussions on key election issues.

In 2023, professor Ajay Kumar Bhagi of the NDTF was elected DUTA president.